<span style="color: #222222;">West Bengal has planned to provide 100 per cent tap connections to all the households in the State by 2024 under Jal Jeevan Mission. Out of 1.63 Crore rural households in West Bengal, 2.19 lakh households have already got tap connections. The State is planning to provide tap connections to 55.60 lakh households in 2020-21.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">In 2019-20, 993 Crore rupees of Central funds was released to the State. During 2020-21, fund allocation has been increased to 1,610 Crore rupees.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">As Union Government is working in tandem with States to achieve the goals of Jal Jeevan Mission within the time frame, focus is on retrofitting and augmentation of existing water supply systems to provide tap connections to remaining households. Out of total 41,357 villages In West Bengal, 22,155 villages already have piped water supply systems.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">AIR correspondent reports, under Jal Jeevan Mission, women are empowered and are trained to work as frontline functionaries in carrying out water quality surveillance.  At Gram Panchayat level five persons preferably women will be trained for water quality testing. The State has also planned to open up water quality testing laboratories for General public. Safe access to potable water in household premises is absolute necessity. This facility will not only improve the health of rural people in terms of control of water-borne diseases, it will also provide opportunity for economic activities for rural women by saving their precious time.</span><br />